As Keir Starmer faces mounting difficulties in the opinion polls, speculation is growing over a possible leadership challenge. With Labour slipping behind Reform UK in some surveys and the prime minister’s personal ratings at record lows, attention has increasingly turned to Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham as a potential alternative. Burnham has fuelled such talk himself, noting in interviews with the Telegraph and the New Statesman that Labour MPs have been urging him to stand. Against the backdrop of senior figures such as Angela Rayner and Lord Mandelson stepping down in recent weeks, Burnham has accused Downing Street of fostering a “climate of fear” and suggested that “wholesale change” is needed to meet what he described as an “existential” threat to the party.
++ Doctors warn of little-known illness that may be a ticking time bomb
Burnham, a Liverpool-born Labour stalwart, has long been a prominent figure within the party. First elected as MP for Leigh in 2001, he held ministerial posts under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, including culture secretary and health secretary. After Labour’s time in government ended, he served as shadow health and education secretary, before stepping down from Westminster in 2017 to become Greater Manchester’s first elected mayor. Known for his defiance during the Covid lockdowns and for championing devolved powers, Burnham has gained popularity in the North West and earned the nickname “King of the North”.
The mayor is not currently an MP, which under Labour rules is a requirement for any leadership contest. Rumours of him being “parachuted” into a safe northern seat, such as Gorton and Denton, have circulated but remain speculative. Burnham has twice stood unsuccessfully for the Labour leadership, coming third in 2010 and second to Jeremy Corbyn in 2015. While he has downplayed personal ambition, his comments in recent weeks – including calls for higher wealth taxes, scrapping the two-child benefit cap, and greater devolution – have been viewed by some as an attempt to set out an alternative vision to Starmer’s leadership.
++ Beverley Callard and Mo Farah to star on I’m A Celebrity All Stars
Polling indicates Burnham may be more popular with the public than Starmer, at least for now. A July survey by Ipsos found 35% of Britons believed Burnham would make a good Labour leader, compared with 26% for Starmer. He also enjoys relatively favourable ratings among Reform UK supporters. Yet name recognition remains limited compared with senior figures such as Kemi Badenoch and Ed Miliband. While Burnham has insisted that any leadership contest must be about more than personalities, speculation about his intentions is likely to persist as Labour grapples with declining support and internal divisions.
